Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together.

The Civil Service Management Board provides collective leadership to the Civil Service renewal programme. The board is chaired by the Secretary General to the Government and its membership consists of all Secretaries General of Departments and heads of major offices. The board meets, in general, once a month and the minutes of these meetings are available on the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform web page on gov.ie. The Civil Service renewal programme management office, based in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, co-ordinates and drives the Civil Service renewal plan.

Civil Service Renewal 2030 is a ten-year strategy that looks to build on the achievements of the 2014 Civil Service renewal plan. The strategy is centred on three core themes, namely, delivering evidence-informed policy and services; harnessing digital technology and innovation; and building the Civil Service workforce, workplace and organisation of the future. The ten-year strategic framework, throughout its lifetime, will deliver the following: a continuous improvement approach to our policy development capacity, including investment in strategic policy infrastructure and improved policy co-ordination across the whole of Government; and enhanced transparency as to how and why public data is being used to inform policy development and benefit society. In terms of digital first and innovation, the framework will ensure 90% of applicable public services will be available and consumed online and designed with the customer at the centre, while the work of staff will augmented through appropriate analytical, automation and other digital tools. In terms of workforce, workplace and organisation of the future, there will be strategically planned workforce requirements based on capacity, capability and skills needs and the use of flexible working models for greater impact and agility. There will also be an equal, diverse, inclusive, engaged and empowered workforce.

The strategy will be implemented through a series of three-year action plans. The plans detail the precise goals and initiatives that will progress each of the strategic priorities. Our progress on the commitments within these action plans will be continually measured, evaluated, and reported on. The first such action plan, Civil Service Renewal 2024, has been published and will deliver on specific actions over the next three years.

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